“This Hack Changed My Life”: 40 Simple Tricks With Big Impact

Reddit is home to countless threads filled with life advice, but one recent question stirred up a goldmine of practical wisdom: “What’s your ‘I can’t believe other people don’t know this’ hack?” The responses came flooding in, and they ranged from surprisingly simple to downright genius.

Whether it’s about saving time, solving everyday annoyances, or just making life smoother, here are some of the best answers shared by Reddit users.

#1

When in public, you can watch videos and listen to music easily by using a simple device called “headphones”.

Image source: Creativered4

#2

Image source: kastleofkaos, Bella The Brave

Minding your own business really does reduce stress.

#3

Image source: gt0163c, Pixabay

When purchasing citrus fruit, select the heavy ones. They are more likely to be fresh and juicy than the lighter ones (assuming the same variety and similar size).

#4

My wife and I like to get takeout once a week or so and if the food is good I like to call the restaurant and say, “Hi, my name is XXX and we just picked up an order of XXX for takeout.” (Insert short pause – you can hear the tension build on the restaurant end expecting a complaint). “I just wanted you to know that was one of the best meals we’ve eaten in a long time. Please thank the chef and everyone working back of house for us.”

I don’t know if restaurants have a secret code or some way of identifying customers but we always seem to have better interactions with them on future orders, but most importantly it lets the BOH know that we really do appreciate their hard work.

Image source: Aeolus_14_Umbra

#5

Image source: ThaddeusOfWhiterun, Anna Shvets

When ordering something online I will add it to my cart and then let it sit for a couple days. Many times ive been sent the “You forgot something” email and a promo code for a % off.

#6

Image source: mondrianbox

When buying bagged salad, buy the bags that aren’t puffed up. Look for the flattest bags. They are the freshest ones. When the salad starts to go bad, it makes the bag inflate.

#7

Image source: spicypickle747, KOBU Agency

Dental tablets – like the ones that dissolve to clean dentures – clean out water bottles incredibly well. Can be super lightweight to carry while camping/hiking/traveling too. Put all my friends onto this hack!

#8

On BMWs, there is this lever on the left side of the steering wheel that gives an indication if you want to turn left or right.

Image source: bishopredline

#9

Image source: kelcamer, Antoni Shkraba Studio

“Do you want to vent or do you want advice?”

Varrrow:

My wife and I use the phrase “Do you want a sword or a blanket?” quite often.

#10

Judging by the number of people who pull up on my bumper at every light, apparently a lot of people don’t know this:

You should pull up to the point where you can still see the bottom of the tires of the car in front of you. That gives you enough space to pull into another lane and get out of there. You never know when traffic in front of you is going to stop dead. There might be an accident, a stopped train, or some other issue. Make sure you can leave without problems.

Image source: captainmagictrousers

#11

Image source: Baaptigyaan, Christina Morillo

HR is not your friend. They are hired to protect the company not you. Anonymous surveys at work are also not Anonymous. The creator of the survey has access to who wrote what. You’re welcome.

#12

Image source: CarrieNoir, HiveBoxx

When you buy a house or rent a new apartment, get a new gmail account for its address. Then send anything house- or apartment-related to that one email so when it is time to leave or sell, you have a history of everything done or spent on.

#13

Image source: No_Performance8733, ktaguibao

Hydrogen peroxide to clean blood off all fabrics. No, it doesn’t bleach the fabric. Yes, it’s near instant and 1000% total – no scrubbing. Just saturate, wait a few, and rinse. Do it a few times if the blood is old.

It ALWAYS works.

#14

Image source: Acceptable_Split_915, Liliana Drew

When showing people pictures on your phone, zoom in slightly so they can’t swipe to another picture on your camera roll.

#15

Image source: Deno_Stuff, Supply

Hair conditioner works better than most shaving creams for shaving and it’s a lot cheaper too.

Individual-Crazy3752:

That is 100% true. Went through hundreds of razor burns in sensitive areas and one day discovered that hair conditioner softens thick short hairs perfectly- smooth skin, much better than any overpriced shaving product.

#16

Image source: Hunterofshadows, Arnav Singhal

People who work on windows computers. Hit the windows key and V at the same time.

Instead of pasting, it opens up your entire clipboard. Once you enable it it will save a history of what you copy and you can pick and choose.

Enjoy.

#17

Admitting when you’re wrong goes a lot farther than denying.

Image source: BPKofficial

#18

As a dental hygienist: anything is always better than nothing.

You do not have to brush and floss at the same time. Just at some point during the day preferred.

Don’t like string floss? Try the picks. Keep them in the shower, in the car, on your nightstand, on the couch.

Don’t like floss period? Try a waterpik (the brand is waterpik, they make water flossers. I always recommend waterpik because they are the brand with the research to back them).

Hand held models are good for travel or if they are rechargeable, take into the shower (just fill the tank twice). I prefer models that sit on the counter because they have better pressure control and a larger tank (just fill once).

Other options are toothpicks, proxy brushes/soft picks, rubber tip stimulators. Anything to disrupt plaque and stimulate the gums.

Anything is ALWAYS better than nothing. A s****y brush is better than no brush. Flossing once a week is better than none a week. 👍🏼 And always always just do the best you can.

Image source: SamPamTYM

#19

Image source: theonlybuster, Kevin Woblick

Not really a hack, but library branches often have digital libraries where you can view pretty recent movies and tv shows for free from the comfort of your home or wherever.

Accessing will vary one one branch to another. It’s either via a specific website/app unique to the branch. But some branches work with the Hoopla app offering the same access.

Though note you may need an active library card to access the digital library.

#20

Image source: PercentageNonGrata, Wright Brand Bacon

Bacon in the oven. Cooks it perfectly and it doesn’t curl.

#21

Image source: ZDarFan, Xhiliana

If your brown sugar gets hard and unusable, seal it in a ziploc bag overnight with a slice of apple or bread. The sugar will absorb the moisture from the slice and be as good as new.

#22

Politely asking for things. People just seem to assume or default to terrible service or the inability for things to happen for them. If you approach it nicely with respect and ask for what you want etc many times it’s not that big of a deal to get it done.

I’ve gotten VIP upgrades for concerts, free food, complimentary airport lounge passes, reservations at hard to get places, bill concessions.

It’s amazing how rudely most people in a forward facing role are treated. If you approach them and treat them with dignity and respect, often times they will happily extend a courtesy to you. They are people and if they’re the right person, they can often bend the rules in a way that you wouldn’t have ever gotten had you not asked in the first place.

This also works with friends, family, partners, etc.

Image source: imbasicallycoffee

#23

I have really sensitive ears. Most earrings irritate them other than ones made from titanium.
So I got 14g implant grade titanium tunnels and just put the cheap earrings through them like a sleeve. It works great and now I can wear whatever earrings I want without having any reaction.

Highly recommend for folks with sensitive ears!

Image source: muttermayi

#24

Image source: stiina22

Airline neck pillows.

The opening goes…in…the…BACK! You know, where the BACKREST is and you don’t need any more support. The whole point of these things is to allow you to sleep sitting upright, without your head tilting forward and waking you.

#25

Doing the laundry/dishes and playing with your kids is one of the most reliably effective ways to arouse your wife.

Image source: ExternalSelf1337

#26

Image source: RagnarockTheHouse

Concert Earplugs on your keychain. The industrial circus peanut style muffles sound and are horrible.

Spend $40 on ones that dampen db’s by 20 or so and let sound pass through a tiny hole. My old a*s has had mine almost a decade now. (Don’t be a dumb kid like me and start now.)

Not only does the music still sound right, but the 15-20 db they cut off does a remarkable job of selectively blocking out the voices of those drunk a******s talking a few seats over.

#27

Image source: crindy-, Pixabay

Baby powder removes sand. I continue to blow people’s minds with this every single summer at the beach, and my mind is equally blown at how no one seems to know this.

#28

If you’re depressed, don’t feel good, maybe had a bender or anything else, get out from underneath the blanket and take a walk around the block. You will feel 10x better after about 10 minutes of moving.

If you’re actually bed-ridden or sick sick. Don’t. But if you’re hungover or beating yourself up or you don’t feel good, go for a stroll. You’ll feel better when you get back :)

Edit: Yes, OP doesn’t mean walking cures depression. We’ve all had our own lives to go through, just saying I felt better after going for a walk with my dogs after going through a week straight refusing to get out of bed to pee, I built off that start. Doing better now.

It’s a positive post my dudes and take care of yourselves.

Image source: lokoinov2

#29

Image source: Four_beastlings, Clay Banks

A wet latex glove in circling motions extracts all the pet hair embedded in your couch’s upholstery into neat little balls that you can easily collect and discard.

#30

Image source: IndividualReason3448, Jef Wright

Wrapping lettuce in aluminum foil makes it last for a month.

atomicbaby11:

Works for celery too.

#31

Feelings aren’t facts.

Acknowledge your feelings but relate them to the present circumstances.

Don’t allow your self-critic to use that difficult feeling to weave or buy into pre-existing self narrative that convinces you you’re broken, less-than or a failure.

Life is hard and experiencing difficult emotions is not fun. But those emotions are a part of you trying to tell you that something is amiss. Some part of you needs compassion, understanding, patience and self-soothing not criticism.

Image source: suprisecameo

#32

Image source: itwasluck_71, Kier in Sight Archives

Paper towel in your mixed greens box. Increases shelf life by weeks.

#33

Image source: ceebeefour

Chemical hot packs (like Hot Hands hand warmers or Thermacare heat patches) are rated for a specific number of hours of heat. I believe the hand warmers are 10 hours and the larger Thermacare patches are 16.

The way these packs work is by a chemical reaction with oxygen. Which means you get 10 hours of heat for 10 hours of oxygen exposure but they don’t have to be 10 *consecutive* hours.

If you only need them for a few hours, stick them in a zip-lock bag when you’re done. They will cool off almost instantly and you still get several more hours of heat. You don’t have to throw them away just because you don’t need them right now.

Similarly, if your hot packs stop working early, it’s almost certainly because they don’t have enough oxygen. Take them out of your gloves/pockets/shoes for a moment, and they will warm back up!

#34

If you want to use a store’s discounted price, but don’t want to be bothered with creating an account or giving your phone number/email, just use the phone number from the 80’s song “Jenny” and your local area code.

(***) 867-5309.

I’ve been using this number for years at places like CVS, grocery stores, even department stores and it works pretty much every time.

I’m clearly not the only one doing it, either. The receipts always have crazy numbers of $ saved. Last time I used it at CVS I had “saved” something like $6k this year.

Image source: Jack_Burton_Express

#35

Image source: punkwalrus, Erik Mclean

If you clean as you go, it’s amazing how clean your house stays for longer periods if you make cleaning more opportune and not a separate task you wait until Sundays to do or whatever.

1. Waiting 3 minutes for something to cook in the microwave? Clean some of the kitchen in those 3 minutes.
2. Going from one area of the house to another? Carry things in that area to the area they are supposed to be at your destination. Dishes in the rec room? Carry them on the way to the kitchen. Bedroom trash full? Carry the bags on the way to the garage. Think about where you are, where you’re going, and what is at where you are that needs to be taken to where you’re going. Never make a trip from point A to point B without returning something to point B.
3. Keep cleaning supplies close to what you use them for. Don’t store your kitchen cleaners hidden in the laundry room. Don’t store the upstairs bathroom cleaners in a downstairs hall closet. Keep rolls of paper towels near anywhere a spill MIGHT occur: dining room, rec room, even bathroom, or in a bedside table.
4. Have more than one broom and dustpan, and keep one set in the kitchen, garage, etc. They are cheap.

#36

Image source: Ludwig_Vista2, Kier in Sight Archives

Open jars with your left hand.

The direction of turn to open and thumb position are the trick.

When you open a jar with your right hand, you use your fingers, which fold over and you’re missing out on the rigidity of your thumb bones.

#37

When reheating food in the microwave, don’t put it in the center of the plate—place it on the edge. Microwaves heat more evenly around the outer edges, so your food will warm up faster and more uniformly.

Image source: roger_zanzibar